Taking to Phish in the early 90's, it seemed as though some great freedom was going to emerge from it. There was something so deep that revealed itself while dancing the night away at a show.
After an identity was molded around the whole world of phish things eventually grew jaded. i walked away from it all struggling with a society that is still very much in the clutches of duality. Phish discussion usually merged into a conversation of this great Oneness that was experienced often at shows. A connection that came to Light...
After more than Ten years a rather ordinary life developed. Phish was in the attic collecting dust. Then they came to the little Auditorium where I work and live. The night was magical, mystical & an a mind blowing release...
Soon after, the most beautiful thing ever became clear. It was time for the One to see itself Here. What we really are is aware space. The ego, which most of us see as our true identity, is only a tool. Clinging to "tool" began subsiding, and the peace of the divine began to emerge.
Understanding the connection, I looked up my old tour buddy who I hadn't seen in years and we made plans to see Phish in Bethel. Going to this show was like being reborn as a phish fan. It felt like it did 20 years ago...
The lot at Bethel Woods (Home of the Original Woodstock!) was hopin'. There were a quite a few good rows of shakedown. There wasn't quite as many dreadlocks, VW buses & Tye Dies as the mid-late 90's. It was kind of reminescent of the early 90's; but on a much larger scale. People were great, alot of Joy and phun.
My ole' tour buddy led us on a adventure through the museum there at Bethel Woods. It started out with a display about space. Just couldn't find words there... The 60's were on display and soon we found ourselves on a replica of Kesey's Furthur Bus.
They were playin a video of the prankster's. Some dude lit up a joint in there, it was really somethin... When we came to the end of the display, this was written up on the wall:

"Well I came upon a child of God, he was walking along the road
And I asked him tell where are you going, this he told me:
(He) said, I'm going down to Yasgur's farm, going to join in a rock and roll band.
Got to get back to the land, and set my soul free.
We are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon,
And we got to get ourselves back to the garden."

healing tears came to the light...

Phish deconstructed the face; Gone-Gone-Gone... They were playing old familiar songs; but there was more depth than before. Dancing was less spastic and more still...But intricate. Runaway Jim dipped down into the well and what followed was a transcended Phish. Bathtub...Bathtub was beyond words...

Numberline left me standing there mindless with the music, at the same time, penetrating and emerging from a point in the center of my chest. It felt like it was glowing; Like ET's in the epic 80's movie.

Donate to Mockingbird

Contact Us

The Mockingbird Foundation

The Mockingbird Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Phish fans in 1996 to generate charitable proceeds from the Phish community.

And since we're entirely volunteer – with no office, salaries, or paid staff – administrative costs are less than 2% of revenues! So far, we've distributed over $1,000,000 to support music education for children – hundreds of grants in all 50 states, with more on the way.